HOT BATH OR COLD?

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19009, 3 November 1923, Page 14

HOT BATH OR COLD?

,“Of course, you take a cold bath in the morning,” said George as he showed me my room. George is one of those men who jump to the wildest conclusions without the slightest grounds for doing so. "On the contrary,” I said, “I have a hot bath in the morning.” “You have a hot bath in the moving!” he repeated blankly. ‘And why not?” I asked. “After all, this is a civilised age. Geysers and circulators are now fitted as a matter of course in almost every home. That being so, why wallow in barbarity? I shall take a hot bath in the morning.” “All my life,” said George, “I have taken a hat bath before breakfast. To that habit I owe my ednstant good health.” “Yet, George,” I said, “I should term you a man of uneven temper. You fly into passions when things go wrong. You speak crossly to hounds when they chaise rabbits. You . . .’ “What has that to do with cold baths?” demanded George. “Ail my life, George,’ ’I said, “I have taken a hot bath before berakfas*. To that habit I owe my constant nature.” “A cold bath,” said George doggedly, “invigorates the system. It makes all the nerve centres tingle, and . . . ’ “Exactly,” I said. “It annoys them. Now a hot bath is most soothing to the nerves.” “It undermines the constitution!” cried George warmly. “Look at me. Am I ever ill?” “You had mumps at Eton, George, I said. “Besides, think of me. Am I ever cross?” “Oh, go to ,bcd!” snapped George. “You aggravate mo.” • Then he went out and slammed the door. It is a strange thing how one is influenced by the most unlikely people in this life. George, for instance. In argument George does not excel. He can hit a golf ball a long way and bowl very dangerously, but I should never consulji him on a matter requiring thought. Yet one cannot deny the fact— George is healthy. I thought of George when I awoke in the morning. Doubtless George sprang out of bed, glad to be alive. I have never been able to spring out of bed. Very likely there Was something in what George had said. Probably my system wanted invigorating. I decided to break the habit of a lifetime. I would try a cold bath. I rose and made ray way to the bathroom. The door was locked. “Hullo, is that you?” called George from within. “What do you think that infernal house spaniel of mine has done? Chewed up one of my best boots!” “Has it, George?” I yawned. “I say, are you likely to be long?” “Come back in a quarter of an hour,” he replied. “My dear George,” I said, “do you mean to tell me that you lie in cold water for a quarter of an hour?” “I am not lying in cold water," replied George. “I’m soothing my nerves. Did you ever hear of such a brute! Chewed up one of my best boots!” It ie a strange thing how one influences the most unlikely people in this life.—‘T.l. L. N.,” in London Daily Mail.